Life in South America: October 2012

Hello All....Well, we have NOT been very good at keeping up with blogging. So, that means that most likely we have lost the attention of our readers and it is very likely that no one will even read this (thus the title). But, hey, one can hope. One thing frustrating about this blog is that it is so public....Peace Corp checks in on our blogs....the Ecuadorian government searches for Peace Corp blogs (we know this is true because a fellow volunteer posted something on her blog and our boss got a call about it from someone in the Ecuadorian government....they didn't like what she had said). So, anyhow, what does that leave us to say? Only the good and uncontroversial. But, hey, pictures are always fun and hopefully somehow along the way we empart part of this amazing cross cultural experience to you.

We went to the beach for our 3 year anniversary. The town had a skatepark so Rich got to skate for the first time
in 9 months and I got a new sun hat : )

So, the most excitement lately is that we have been upgrading! Yes, upgrading. Our stack of cardboard boxes that have served us well as shelves for 6 months finally lost their job and have been replaced by a gorgeous bamboo shelf that Rich built for us with one of our neighbors. He and our neighbor bought the bamboo and built it in the neighbor's wood shop. It doesn't have a single nail or screw in it. They made pegs out of bamboo that are driven in to serve as nails/screws. It is big so we can finally have a place to put our TV, books, and lesson planning materials. So exciting! (As a side note, before the bookcase was done the kittens knocked the TV off of the stool it was on and shattered the case. The tube didn't break and it actually still works. The destructive force of cats should never be underestimated.)

The beautiful bamboo shelf Rich built (with a neighbor friend).

But, it doesn't end here. Finally, last night, we got a bed frame! We have been sleeping on a mattress on the floor for 6 months and finally saved up enough (we are trying to live only on the money Peace Corp gives us) to buy a bed frame. And, actually, as things often go here....we ended up getting a frame different than what we thought we ordered (language barriers have a way of bringing about such experiences). But, it is amazingly nicer than we expected and the story behind the guy who got it for us is something I will save for another day (I will always remember).

The new bed frame (nicer than what we thought

we were buying).

Also, Rich built a table to put our 1/2 fridge on so that we no longer have to kneel down to get something out of the fridge. All these things are so exciting!!

The fridge table.

Rich building.

Let's see....we've had a few fellow volunteers come and visit. We got to show them some of the awesomely cool tourism activities that we have here in Bucay. For example, we all went "canyoning". This is the word they use for rappeling down waterfalls. Not just rappeling down a dry rock face, but rappelling down a wet, flowing rock face of a waterfall. Here is a video of a friend rapelling down one.

Let's see, otherwise, we are really enjoying teaching English classes to local people who work in tourism - restaraunt, hotels, as tour guides, or selling local art (people who might have contact with English speaking visitors). I have 20 students and Rich has about 20. Mine are here in town, but Rich's class is outside of town near the waterfalls. It takes about 20 minutes to get to his class in a car on a bumpy road, back into the mountains. Every time he comes home he has more to say about the ride than about the English class. There are no buses that go there, and most of the people who live up there ride motorcycles (which we are not allowed to ride - per Peace Corp). Taxis go up there, and people driving up to their land in their trucks, or cattle trucks, etc. Supposedly he has a ride with someone pre-arranged but it doesn't always come through and then they end up hitching rides....which doesn't always happen quickly. The other night he called (from the one spot that has cell reception) and said "I'm not sure when I'll be back. Our car fell through. We're waiting along the side of the road for something to come by that will pick us up. It's pitch black. See you when I get there." He was only about an hour or hour and half later than usual getting home that night. Anyhow, of his 20 students, only two have past a 6th grade education. One cannot read or write and he is the primary tour guide. They are so happy to have this opportunity to learn. They are delightful and eager students (and friends of ours) and he is having quite a time trying help them learn some basic English. I think he is also just a fascination for them sometimes (ha!) as he is probably the first American many of them have ever seen in person or talked to.